Method for monitoring movement of a subject{40 s eyes

ABSTRACT

An eye measuring instrument employing a modulated invisible light source which illuminates the eye and a pair of photocells directed to the interface of portions of the eye with different light reflecting properties. The interfaces selected move in response to eye movement or pupil area change, and the changes in the photocell outputs are a measure of the eye movement or pupil area change.

United States Patent Young et al.

3,689,135 1 Sept. 5, 1972 METHOD FOR MONITORING MOVEMENT OF A SUBJECT S EYES Inventors: Laurence R. Young, 141 Grant Ave., Newton, Mass. 02146; Joel S. Newman, 18 Laurie Lane, Framingham, Mass. 02178 Filed: Jan. 26, 1971 Appl. No.: 109,966

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 829,836, April 4, 1969, abandoned, which is a division of Ser.

No. 634,344, April '27, 1967, Pat. No. 3,473,868.

U.S. Cl ..35l/39 Int. Cl. ..A61b 3/00 Field of Search ..35l/l, 6, 7, 39 v r References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,450,466 6/1969 Sueisinger ..351/7 3,036,568 5/1962 Stark ....351/1x Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examinerlaul A. Sacher Attorney-Wolf, Greenfield & Socks [57] ABSTRACT An eye measuring instrument employing a modulated invisible light source which illuminates the eye and a pair of photocells directed to the interface of portions of the eye with different light reflecting properties. The interfaces selected move in response to eye movement or pupil area change, and the changes in .the photocell outputs are a measure of the eye movement orpupil area'change.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDsEP 5 I972 SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR &

momDOm m mn=2mmm 55- 340 omm 3n PATENTEDSEP 51912 3.689.135

SHEEI 2 0F 2 HORI. YE MOTION wjA/W J I VERT. EYE MOTION PUPIL SIZE INVEINTOR 9% ATTORNEYS METHOD FOR MONITORING MOVEMENT OF A SUBJECTS EYES This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 829,836 filed Apr. 4, 1969, now abandoned, the latter having been divided from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 634,344 filed Apr. 27, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,868 issued Oct. 21, 1969.

The present invention relates to means for monitoring eye movement and pupil area.

At the present time devices are available for photoelectrically measuring horizontal and vertical eye movement as well as pupil area, but these devices all have certain disadvantages. For example, these devices generally use an unmodulated visible light source which distracts the subject and is not easily distinguishable over ambient light such as sunlight, room lights, etc. In one technique for the measurement of horizontal eye movement, visible light illuminates portions of the boundary between the iris and sclera, and photocells are directed to the opposite boundary regions established by the eye when looking in a straight forward position, and they measure the reflected light at each boundary as it changes with horizontal movement of the eye. This geometry has not been used for measuring vertical eye movement because of the position of the eye lid with respect to the boundary between the iris and sclera at the iris top. Therefore, in these systems only a single light sensitive device is used focused at the boundary between the sclera and the iris at the bottom. Still another undesirable feature of these arrangements for both vertical and horizontal eye movement measurement is the strong interaction or cross coupling between these signals.

The pupillometers heretofore available determine the pupil area by such means as measuring gross reflection of the eye and either do not employ modulated invisible light to achieve the advantages of the present invention, or involve complex scanning mechanisms.

One important object of this invention is to eliminate the effect of variations in ambient illumination in the photoelectric measurement of eye movement and pupil area.

Another important object of this invention is to eliminate glare and other distractions to the subject normally present when visible light is used to measure eye movement and pupil area.

And another important object of this invention is to substantially eliminate the effects of horizontal eye position upon the measurement of vertical eye movement.

And another important object of this invention is to substantially eliminate the effects of vertical eye position upon the measurement of horizontal eye movement.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide means for effectively employing two light sensitive devices in measuring both horizontal and vertical eye movement and pupil area of a subject. Another important object of this invention is to provide a system for measuring pupil area which is relatively insensitive to horizontal eye movement.

To accomplish these and other objects, the instrument of the present invention includes an invisible light energy source for illuminating the eye. A frame, preferably carried by the head of the subject, carries a pair of light sensitive devices which are pointed to the interface of two areas of different light reflective quality. A circuit including the light sensitive devices responds to changes in the invisible light sensed by the devices as a measurement either of eye movement or pupil area.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention the light sensitive devices are pointed to the right and left edges of the iris and the circuit measures the difference in the light sensed by each of the devices as a measure of horizontal eye movement. In another embodiment of this invention the light sensitive devices are pointed to the lower edge of the upper eyelid which preferably is coated with a material having a low light reflectivity. The circuit measures the sum of the light reflected as an indication of vertical eye movement. In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention, the light sensitive devices are pointed to the left and right edges of the pupil-iris boundary, and the circuit measures the sum of the light reflected to the cells as an indication of pupil area.

These and other objects and features of this invention along with its incident advantages will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for measuring eye movement and pupil area with the photocells positioned to measure horizontal eye movements;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the photocells of the system as they are positioned to measure vertical eye movement;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the photocells of the system as they are positioned to measure pupil area;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the system; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view suggesting the manner in which the photocells and light source may be mounted on an eye glass frame to make the various measurements.

In FIG. 5 an eyeglass frame 10 is shown which includes a pair of temples l2 and lense frames 14 connected by a bridge 16, and a pair of photocells 18 are mounted on one of the lens frames 14, which sense light reflected from the portion of the eye at which they are pointed. The lens frame 14 also carries a light source 20 between the photocells 18, which provides the light to be sensed by the photocells. The manner in which the photocells and light source cooperate to accomplish the various measurements identified in the introduction is explained in connection with FIGS. 1-4.

In FIG. 1 an eye 22 is represented diagrammatically with its sclera 24, iris l6, and pupil 28. The two photocells 18 are shown to be pointed at the boundary between the sclera 24 and iris 26. It will be appreciated that the sclera has a high degree of light reflectivity while the iris to a great extent absorbs light.

The photocells 18 pointed at the boundary between the iris and sclera established when the eye is looking directly ahead will sense different amounts of light when the eye moves either left or right. Thus, when the eye moves to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1 the reflected light sensed by the left photocell 18a will be less than the light sensed when the eye looked straight ahead, while the same eye movement will cause an increase in the reflected light sensed by the right photocell 18b. Because the photocells as well as the light source to be described are mounted on the eyeglass frame 10, it will be appreciated that the system is insensitive to head movement and affords complete freedom of head movement without introducing errors into the measurements of eye position with respect to the head. In addition, this two cell arrangement minimizes the effects of vertical eye movements due to the differential connection of the photodetectors.

The light source 20 shown in FIG. 2 is a narrow band solid state gallium arsenide infrared source which is pulsed at a frequency of between 1 and kilocycles by an oscillator which may be an astable multivibrator 30. The multivibrator 30 is connected to the infrared source by an inverting amplifier 32 and a driver 34.

The modulation and the narrow spectral width of this illumination makes it easily separable from any other interfering sources of energy falling on the eye.

To measure horizontal eye movement, the difference between the two photocell output voltages is directed to an operational amplifier 36 which is AC coupled to block the effects of any steady state changes in ambient illumination. The difference in the voltages may be generated in a center tapped transformer 38 which also provides AC coupling. The amplified difference from amplifier 36, which is an amplitude modulated carrier signal, is fed to a phase sensitive detector 40, that may take the form of a diode demodulator, which produces an output signal only when the infrared source is pulsed on by the astable multivibrator 30, thus further reducing the effects of both other unwanted light falling on the photocells l8 and any other nonsynchronous noise. The output of the phase sensitive detector 40 is directed through a low-pass filter 42 to yield a smooth DC signal which is a function of horizontal eye position.

In FIG. 2 the photocells 18 are shown positioned to measure vertical eye movement as contrasted to the measurement of horizontal eye movement in the system of FIG. 1. In accordance with this invention, to measure vertical eye movement, the upper eyelid is blackened to decrease its reflectivity. The photocells 18 are pointed to the level of the lower edge of the eyelid 50 which actually follows the vertical eye movement, and consequently when the eye turns downward the lid drops. Thus, when the photocells 18 are positioned so thatthey are pointed at the lower edge of the eyelid in the normal position, when the eye drops, the eyelid drops also and the photocells sense a decrease in the reflected energy. The sum of the two signals generated by the photocells is a function of the vertical eye position.

In FIG. 3 the photocells 18 are positioned so that the system shown in FIG. 1 may function as a pupillometer. lnthis application, the two photocells are pointed at the left and right edges 52 and 54 of the pupil-iris boundary. As the pupil constricts, more light is reflected to the photocells 18 because the iris has greater reflectivity than the pupil. Thus, an increase in the light sensed by the photocells is an indication of reduction in pupil size.

When vertical eye movement or pupil area is being measured, the output signals of the two photocells 18 are summed at the transformer 56 and amplified by the operational amplifier 58 as shown in FIG. 2. The sum is then fed to phase sensitive detector 60 which, like the detector 40, may be a diode demodulator, that produces an output signal only when the infrared source 20 is pulsed on. The output of the demodulator 60 is directed through the low-pass filter 62 which like the filter 42 yields a smooth DC signal which is proportional to either vertical eye movement or pupil area, depending upon the orientation of the photocells 18. Obviously an appropriate meter may be connected to the outputs of the filters 42 and 62 to measure the signals.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 2 permits cross coupling from horizontal eye position to be cancelled to first order approximation, by the differential effect of horizontal motion on the two photocells. A similar benefit is derived in connection with the measurement of pupil area.

The schematic diagram shown in FIG. 4 is composed of well known components and is one implementation of the system shown in block diagram FIG. 1. Because it is composed of standard parts readily recognizable as representing the components of the block diagram, a v

detailed description of the schematic diagram is deemed unnecessary.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will appreciate that the objects set forth in the introduction are accomplished by the embodiment shown and described and that modifications may be made of the invention without departing from its teachings. For example, while in the foregoing embodiment the photocells and light source are mounted on the eyeglass frame, it is to be understood that the subjects head could be held in place by a bite board or some other technique, with a frame for the light and transducers so as to maintain the subjects head and the light and transducers in fixed relationship to one another. Therefore it is not intended to limit the breadth of the invention to the embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents. What is claimed is: 1. A method of measuring the vertical eye movement of a subjects eye comprising the steps of coating the subjects eyelid to make it relatively nonreflective in relation to his eye, directing an invisible light source to the eye; pointing two invisible-light sensing devices in horizontally spaced relation and toward the normal level of the lower edge of the upper eyelid to receive light reflected from about the region of the interface between the eye and the eyelid, and measuring changes in the reflected light sensed by the light sensing devices in response to vertical movement of said eyelid, said step of measuring said changes of reflected light comprising determining the sum of the output signals of said two light sensitive devices, whereby any horizontal movement of said eye will have no substantial effect on said sum of said output signals. 2. A method of monitoring a subjects eye comprising the steps of illuminating the eye with a stationary beam of pulsed invisible light,

pointing an invisible light sensing device toward the interfaces of two eye regions of different light reflective properties operating said light-sensing device synchronously with the pulsations of said stationary beam of invisible light thus to eliminate the effects of extraneous signals during the intervals between said pulsations;

whereby movement of said interfaces in relation to said sensing device will cause variations in the amount of light sensed; and

measuring said variation in said sensed light.

3. A method of monitoring the eye as described in claim 2 further characterized by the steps of sensing the light reflected by two light sensitive devices directed at different portions of the same interface.

4. A method of monitoring a subjects eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices at horizontally opposite portions of the interface between the subjects iris and sclera said step of sensing the light reflected by said two light sensitive devices comprising measuring the difference in output between said two light sensitive devices, said difference in output signals of said two light sensitive devices being substantially unaffected by vertical eye movement;

whereby horizontal eye movement may be measured independently of and unaflected by any vertical eye movement.

5. A method of monitoring a subjects eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices with diamet rically opposite portions of the interface between the iris and pupil of the eye; and

measuring the sum of the output signals of said two light sensitive devices, said sum being substantially proportional to the size of the pupil of the eye, whereby horizontal movement of the eye will have no substantial effect on the sum of said output signals.

6. A method of monitoring a subjects eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices in horizontally spaced relation along the interface between the subjects eye and eyelid coating the subjects eyelid to make it relatively nonreflective in relation to said eye measuring the sum of the output signals from said two light sensitive devices to sense the vertical position of said eyelid whereby horizontal movement of the eye will have substantially no efiect on the sum of said output signals;

whereby vertical movement of said eyelid may be sensed independently of and is unaffected by horizontal movement of said eye, and is proportional to vertical eye movement. 

1. A method of measuring the vertical eye movement of a subject''s eye comprising the steps of coating the subject''s eyelid to make it relatively nonreflective in relation to his eye, directing an invisible light source to the eye; pointing two invisible-light sensing devices in horizontally spaced relation and toward the normal level of the lower edge of the upper eyelid to receive light reflected from about the region of the interface between the eye and the eyelid, and measuring changes in the reflected light sensed by the light sensing devices in response to vertical movement of said eyelid, said step of measuring said changes of reflected light comprising determining the sum of the output signals of said two light sensitive devices, whereby any horizontal movement of said eye will have no substantial effect on said sum of said output signals.
 2. A method of monitoring a subject''s eye comprising the steps of illuminating the eye with a stationary beam of pulsed invisible light, pointing an invisible light sensing device toward the interfaces of two eye regions of different light reflective properties operating said light sensing device synchronously with the pulsations of said stationary beam of invisible light thus to eliminate the effects of extraneous signals during the intervals between said pulsations; whereby movement of said interfaces in relation to said sensing device will cause variations in the amount of light sensed; and measuring said variation in said sensed light.
 3. A method of monitoring the eye as described in claim 2 further characterized by the steps of sensing the light reflected by two light sensitive devices directed at different portions of the same interface.
 4. A method of monitoring a subject''s eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices at horizontally opposite portions of the interface between the subject''s iris and sclera said step of sensing the light reflected by said two light sensitive devices comprising measuring the difference in output between said two light sensitive devices, said difference in output signals of said two light sensitive devices being substantially unaffected by vertical eye movement; whereby horizontal eye movement may be measured independently of and unaffected by any vertical eye movement.
 5. A method of monitoring a subject''s eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices with diametrically opposite portions of the interface between the iris and pupil of the eye; and measuring the sum of the output signals of said two light sensitive devices, said sum being substantially proportional to the size of the pupil of the eye, whereby horizontal movement of the eye will have no substantial effect on the sum of said output signals.
 6. A method of monitoring a subject''s eye as described in claim 3 further characterized by the step of aligning said two light sensitive devices in horizontally spaced relation along the interface between the subject''s eye and eyelid coating the subject''s eyelid to make it relatively non-reflective in relation to said eye measuring the sum of the output signals from said two light sensitive devices to sense the vertical position of said eyelid whereby horizontal movement of the eye will have substantially no effect on the sum of said output signals; whereby vertical movement of said eyelid may be sensed independently of and is unaffected by horizontal movement of said eye, and is proportional to vertical eye movement. 